You'll Choke On Those Words
by Dengon Mitsukai
Summary: Ren's drunken actions end up wounding a relationship he held dear to his heart, and now he's lost Horokeu. Can he figure out what he did and pick up the pieces? RenHoroRen ShounenAi. Chapter Four Up Hao's in town...
1. Nothing Feels Good Being Under The Gun

**You'll Choke On Those Words**

Dengon Mitsukai

Horokeu x Ren : Ren gets unbearably drunk at a party hosted by a school-friend and did something he desperately needs to remember – but can't. Will Ren be able to pick up the pieces and figure out his relationship with Horo?

Please read and review. You can flame me if you want to, it's okay. What's a little constructive criticism? Just please don't sit there and be like, "This is a lame idea. Your writing sucks. I hate you. Go cut yourself." Because… that's just cruel.

_Disclaimer:_ Although I love the series Shaman King, I don't own it (Kuso!).

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**_Prologue: Nothing Feels Good Being Under The Gun_**

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The next day at school was the most awkward day Tao Ren had ever experienced. It was one of those gorgeous days, where the outside picnic grounds are open to eat at during your lunch period, and the smell of the finally-blossomed sakura flowers wafted into every crevice of the school so that you couldn't help but get a little excited that Spring was finally there. One of those days where you wear brighter colors, if it were not for the disgusting school uniforms they were forced to wear. A day for making plans and relaxing with your friends after school. A day made specifically for _fun,_ and how _dare _someone not take advantage of such a day.

However, Ren felt like an outsider. An outcast. Like he was on the outer edges of the world's biggest inside joke, and the worst part was that the joke was about him. Like he had missed some excellent happening and now he was being punished for it by being the target of said happening. Somehow, it felt like everyone was… was _laughing_ at him. He stared around darkly, thinking to himself, _How DARE these insolent creatures laugh at him, Tao Ren. Did they realize who he was? Who his father was? The kind of power he possessed?_

Ren walked into homeroom, and the giggles roared. What, were they morons? Did they honestly think he didn't understand that they were laughing _at_ him, not _with _him? Did they truly think he didn't realize the situation he had thrown himself into? If only, _if only _he had not gone to_ that party!_ If only he could even _remember_ what had happened!

Tamao, who was a friend of a friend to make a long story short, had held a spring party on Saturday. Ren, having nothing else to do but sit in his room and go online, agreed to go with Usui Horokeu and his sister Pirika. Now he wished he hadn't. The party turned out to be a _major_ bust, so Ren fixated himself on drinking any kind of alcohol that approached him: beer, wine coolers, vodka, gin, anything and everything. However, he hadn't maintained _any_ level of control (which normally Ren would have done) … and some things happened.

And that was that. Things happened. Which was very, _very_, bad. How could he allow himself to consume so much alcohol that he couldn't even remember what had happened? What things? What had he done to make himself such… such a _leper,_ such an outcast? It had been bad, he realized soon after his hangover, and it would probably scar his high school experience. But he had never thought, even _dreamed_ it would be as bad as it was. No-one spoke to him. No-one looked at him. It was like he was some sort of freak, someone to be hated, but for a _reason._

A reason Ren was dying to figure out.

Horokeu had even stopped talking to him, which was crazy because they were best friends and had been since Ren could remember. Horokeu was the only person he could trust, the only person that, until this "incident", would stick by his side through thick and thin. And even his sister, Pirika, had developed into a good friend of his. Hell, even Ren's more distant friends, Yoh and Manta and Anna … even _they_ wouldn't look him in the eyes.

Well, that was somewhat untrue. Horokeu looked him in the eyes – and immediately looked away, as if he wanted to say something but didn't have the nerve. And Pirika shot him a death look once when she caught him staring at Horo… Anna and Manta, however, had stayed away. And as for Yoh, he was on vacation in Izumo, taking care of his sickly grandfather. Ren supposed he would have to have Yoh on his side to figure this whole mess out.

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Ren grabbed his phone and dialed Yoh's home number. There was a moment of rings, and then, "Hello?" It was Yoh's slightly disinterested, slightly bored, slightly excited tone.

"Goddamn, Yoh, I need you." Ren explained his situation to Yoh.

Yoh took a moment to think, before he answered, "Damn, Ren, out of all the stupid things you've done… this takes the cake. So no-one's talking to you? Jeez. Must have been pretty stupid. But I'll see what I can do, what I can find out… you know… before they've all made up their minds to hate you."

Ren sighed. "I wish I knew what I've done…"

Yoh sighed with him. "Don't worry, it can't be _that_ bad."

However, Ren thought, _What would he know? He's not in the same trouble I am. My father always used to say, Hold your head up boy! It can't be that bad! … Well… this time… I think it really is that bad._

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Thanks for reading! Please review, it really keeps a writer going. I hope you enjoyed this, please let me know what you think (if you want to, you can give me some ideas, maybe I'll write them in!) Arigatou! **Dengon Mitsukai**


	2. I'm a Nervous Wreck When It Comes To Thi...

**You'll Choke On Those Words**

Dengon Mitsukai

Thanks to ALMOST everyone (hah, Shannon…) for the kind reviews and not telling me to go cut myself because I suck. Anyway, the prologue was a complete success – I've kept you guessing and you all have no clue! Mwah ha ha! Thanks to the kind reviewers and please enjoy this next chapter! It's for you guys after all!

_Disclaimer:_ Although I love the series Shaman King, I don't own it (Kuso!).

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Chapter One: I'm A Nervous Wreck (When It Comes To This)… 

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Yoh set his knapsack down on the table next to his Chinese friend Tao Ren and sighed. They had agreed to meet at one o'clock sharp, and it was now one twenty-three. Yoh had been a full twenty-three minutes late. He had searched high and low for Ren in the courtyard, dashing around statues and hedges alike in his quest to find the mysterious meeting place Ren had set up. Although, Yoh couldn't blame him. The are he had picked was in secrecy, just as their conversation was to be kept. Kuso, _Kuso!_ _Why can't you ever just be on time?_ Yoh scolded himself as Ren seemed to be gathering his thoughts.

Yoh considered Ren. He looked a substantial amount more exhausted than normal, which was only to be _expected_, after all, he had gone from popular to leper in the matter of a few moments (and if only Ren could remember what he had done!). But it seemed to be wearing Ren thin, like a pair of shoes that you loved up until that one day that they just didn't seem to suit your _needs_ anymore… yes, it was like Ren was no longer _needed _by_ anyone._ His bright emerald eyes, which normally flashed with a sarcastic yet mysterious excitement looked dull and bloodshot, as if he had actually stayed up all night contemplating his situation. His clothes were slightly wrinkled (normally Ren took immaculate care of his clothing, and Yoh was beginning to worry more than a little), and his face looked bored.

Ren finally spoke, his voice gravely and worn-out from what seemed like a long conversation. But how could that be possible? _No one would talk to him._ So maybe he had found someone other than Yoh who would listen. "I have no fucking clue what to say." Or, well, maybe not. He looked at Yoh. "I hope you've found something out…?"

Yoh looked into Ren's eyes. "Maybe we should start with exactly what happened that day. I want every last detail."

Ren sighed. "You want details? I got details." Yoh watched Ren shift uncomfortably, and yawn and stretch a little. He then closed his eyes. "So, I was invited to that party and I thought to myself, Hey Ren! You should go to that party. Wouldn't that be nice? Alright, so I agree with myself and I go to this party because how bad can a party really be, right? I mean, a party with all your friends, at that! So, I went to this party and the moment I got there I just knew something was off. Maybe it was the cheesy music they were playing, or the scent of alcohol lingering in the air... I just knew something was off. It turned out to be a total bust, too. Horo and I just played air hockey for the beginning of the party." Ren opened his eyes and grinned. "Then I had some alcohol, talked with some friends, drank some more, and I can't remember a goddamn thing."

Yoh sighed and looked Ren in the eyes. "Are you sure that you can't remember anything else?"

He stared blankly back at Yoh. _Can I remember anything else? Can I remember anything **else?**_ _Don't you think I've been tearing myself to pieces trying to remember every stupid detail of that damn party? Do you think I want to do this to myself? It's like I'm not even here anymore! I feel like those crayons you get in that 60 crayon box of crayons, like 'Red Violet' and 'Macaroni and Cheese', the only colors you **never** have a use for. I used to be, like, green! People used to care! What happened, how bad have I really screwed myself over!_ "Not a thing more, not a thing less."

The brunette sighed. He knew Ren was hiding something from him, he just had to figure out what. Maybe Ren wasn't ready to know what happened. After all, it had been quite a scene, as he had heard it. But, he just didn't get it. Why was it such a big deal? He'd figured it would have blown over by now. But he couldn't just come out and say that he'd know all along that Ren had...

The bell rang. Ren looked sourly at the doorway. "Just forget it and let's get to class."

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Ren practically dropped the phone on his computer when he found out. _How could Yoh have done this to me? We're best friends! How could he have **known** all along and not bothered to tell me! How could he have known, and still he hasn't told me?_ He could hear the phone ringing in the distance but he ignored it, knowing it was only Yoh trying to pick up the pieces of a mess that had grown quite out of control. There was no way he was going to let Yoh slide on this one. So what if no one needed him? He didn't need anyone else, either. This was just another perfect example of it.

The voicemail clicked on, and Yoh's gravely voice spread through Ren's room like wildfire. "Ren, I know you don't want to talk to me, and I know you're incredibly angry, and I know you have the right to be, but don't you want to know what happened? I'm sorry, I'm sorry and I should have told you earlier, but I just couldn't, it was just… I'm really not supposed to tell you now either. Piri told me, Ren… and it's bad, but not as bad as everyone's making it. Oh god, this is your answering machine and I'm going on and on. Well, please, call me back. You owe it to yourself…" The answering machine clicked off, and the soft red glow of the number 1 indicating one new message glowed for quite some time before Ren decided to delete the message.

_Should I call Yoh back, or should I let him sit in his own mess for a few hours?_ Normally, Ren would have let Yoh sit in his own misery, and think about just _who_ he had upset, and just _how_ serious it really was. But Yoh _knew_ and Ren _needed to know_, and for this reason and this reason only he could let Yoh off the hook. He had to call Yoh back. He had to _know_… it was just eating him apart.

He wanted to know.

He had to know.

Ren dialed Yoh's number and waited for him to pick up. He heard Yoh's familiar greeting, and said immediately, "I'm not calling because I forgive you. I don't, and I may never forgive you. I just… I really need to know. I guess I really need your help."

Yoh sighed. "You don't want to know."

Ren snorted. Of _course_ he wanted to know. He had to know. "Tell me."

"Ren… You…"

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Ugh, the suspense is just killing my readers off! Heh. That was supposed to be funny, but it's just not. Well, thanks for reading, please review, and I promise next chapter you'll find out what kind of a man Tao Ren is! **Dengon Mitsukai**


	3. I'm a Mess of Insecurities

**You'll Choke On Those Words**

Dengon Mitsukai

Thanks for so many kind reviews! Actually, there really weren't that many. Most of you want to kill me…I'm sorry for leaving you all at such a horrible place! But I had to, I had to! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I PROMISE you find out what Ren did. Get yourself excited. Here it comes. Oh, but first… in this chapter you'll finally get a little input from Horokeu! Isn't that exciting, for all you Horo fans? Grab your Horokeu dolls, grab your Ren dolls, and get ready for some surprises! LET'S GET IT ON!

_Disclaimer:_ Although I love the series Shaman King, I don't own it (Kuso!).

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_**Chapter Two: I'm a Mess of Insecurities**_

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Ren laid himself down on his bed, tears sliding sloppily down his face. His phone had long since fallen to the floor, the line as disconnected as he felt inside. How? _How?_ How could he have done this? To himself? To Horokeu? How could he have been so… so _selfish?_ So utterly absorbed with himself, with his drinking, that he allowed … _this_… to happen?

Ren's tears slid down his face further and further as he desperately tried to figure out what was going on. It all made sense now – Pirika's looks. Horokeu's hesitance. Everyone's glares, sneers, snickers… they all knew. _Horokeu_ knew. He had jeopardized their friendship, he had jeopardized _everything_ that night.

He clutched his pillow closer to his chest, wondering where Horo was, and how _he_ was doing. Was it selfish to not think about Horo as well? Hadn't he been the one who was truly shamed by all of this? Worst of all, had Ren even _meant_ for it to happen? Did he really feel that way, or did he just confuse Horokeu and himself as well as hurt himself and Horokeu more than he ever needed to?

But wasn't that just typical, Ren hurts someone. It was as simple as the washing instructions on the back of the tag of a shirt: Machine wash Cold/Cold. Low drying cycle. Repeat. Ren loses a friend, a friend very dear to him. Ren suffers. Repeat. Except that it was easier to wear out a person than a tee-shirt (as well as harder to replace). How did this _always_ happen to him? How could he allow himself to be so pigheaded? HOW COULD HE ALLOW HIMSELF TO DRINK SO MUCH, TO DO SO MANY CHILDISH THINGS! He slammed his fist against the wall, his screams breaking the sound of his From First To Last CD. _How? **How?**_

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Horokeu was sprawled out on his bed, his head resting upon his hands, thinking back to what had happened that night, and silently scolding himself. He'd screwed Ren over in this deal; in truth it was not completely Ren's fault. But how was he supposed to know? He couldn't even remember what had happened! And yet, how could Horo have _forgotten_? It still shocked him. He closed his eyes and could envision it perfectly…

_Ren paced the room, and came next to Horokeu, who was shooting pool. Horokeu greeted him as normal. "Yo Chinatown! What's up?"_

_He could already tell something was wrong when it took Ren several minutes to reply in slurred speech, "Ah, Horokeu-u, I've been looking for you-u, all ni-ight…" He smiled and laughed, sitting himself on the pool table and wrecking Horo's game._

"_Yo man, what the hell!" Yusuke, a classmate, demanded. "Ren, man, that's fucked up." He stormed out of the room._

_Horokeu studied Ren. Obviously he was drunk. It was a strange sight, seeing his best friend drunk. Ren would never let something get the better of him, how could he possibly have gotten drunk. "Hey, Ren, are you sure you're okay."_

_Ren looked at his feet which were dangling over the edge of the table, swinging in rhythm to the music that was blasting from the stereo system. "Horokeu, I need to…" He paused, regaining his thoughts, and finished, "…tell you something…" _

_He stood up to cross the room and meet Horokeu, but fell to the floor rather abruptly. Horo hurried over, helping his friend up. "Kuso, Ren! What have you done to yourself? Why have you been drinking so heavily?"_

"_THIS PARTY SUCKS!" he shouted, unaware that Tamao was in the next room. Horokeu pulled him close and slapped a hand over his mouth. Ren laughed and pushed Horokeu's hand away, steadying himself against Horokeu's body. Horokeu felt a surge of excitement. After all, hadn't he always loved Ren? Everything about him was not only adorable, it was sensual. Ren looked into Horokeu's eyes. "Horokeu, can I tell you something?"_

_Horo nodded, wondering what drunken slurs would fall out of Ren's mouth. "You don't need to ask, Chinatown. Just spit it."_

_Ren looked Horokeu in the eyes, and slowly pressed his lips against Horokeu's. Horo was stiffened, unable to move. What was Ren doing? Was he imagining this? Was he even capable of imagining such pleasure? Ren began to kiss him, his soft lips moving across his own, nibbling at his bottom lip softly, kissing his neck, it never stopped._

_Horokeu was paralyzed as Ren continued to kiss him, biting at his neck quickly and returning to his lips time after time._

The Yusuke came into the room. In a blur of screams and people coming in, everyone assumed Ren had come on to me. Well, he had, but why were they throwing him out of the room, why were they being so hostile? Horokeu hadn't done anything to stop them. He'd retreated to Piri as if nothing had happened.

Horokeu ran his fingers violently through his hair. He'd ruined things between himself and Ren. It hadn't been Ren's fault. He'd _wanted_ it, he wanted Ren's lips on his own, he'd wanted to feel Ren's body against his own for who knows how long… and it had happened, and it had been more than mere ecstasy, it had been the type of thing people _dream_ they feel.

And he'd let it get away from himself.

And he'd done nothing about it.

And now he'd lost Ren, only Ren thought it was _his_ fault.

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Yoh's voice flowed over Ren's phone receiver soothingly. "Ren. Calm down."

'_HOW CAN I JUST CALM DOWN, I'VE LOST MY BEST FRIEND!_' he thought to himself angrily. "Yoh, you're leaving to pick up your stupid brother in two seconds, what the fuck am I going to do?"

"Why don't you come get Hao with me? You're one of the few friends of mine that Hao doesn't hate. Plus, he doesn't know anything about you and Horokeu. Therefore, he won't be a bastard about that." Yoh sounded like he had a smile on his face. He had a way of sounding like that.

Ren sighed. He was in no condition to go out. But then again, it was just Yoh's brother. And maybe he'd be able to make a new friend in Hao. "Alright." He'd go. He wouldn't expect much, but it would be better than nothing.

What did he have to lose?

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Uh-oh, when chapters are ended like that you know there's trouble coming! I had to include Hao-sama, how can you not add him into a HoroRen story? It just fits, like … peanut butter and jelly! Thanks for reading, please review, and please keep me wanting to write! You have all helped me want to continue so much, arigatou! **Dengon Mitsukai**


	4. Things Always Turn Into Something Good

**You'll Choke On Those Words**

Dengon Mitsukai

Yeah, okay, so right NOW it seems stupid, what Ren did. Hey, give it a chapter or two and maybe it'll make sense. I really loved all the kind reviews, thank you for the abundance of support. I hope you enjoy this next chapter; it will incorporate Hao-sama, yess! Everyone loves Hao a _little_, even if he is evil. He's sexy-evil!

_Disclaimer:_ Although I love the series Shaman King, I don't own it (Kuso!).

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**_Chapter Three: Things Always Turn Into Something Good (Maybe)_**

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Ren hated the train station. He hated the smell, the sounds, the newcomers, the bystanders, and the ones moving on without a care in the world. Everything was hustle-and-bustle, rushed as if there were no time to slow down at all, as if everything would eventually pass by and that could simply not happen. Train stations were a portal aiding to Japan's short-attention-spanned generation. Trains themselves were vile, and most people going on trains were either arrogant or snide.

Not that it mattered, for Ren never went to train stations. He had nowhere to go, no one to receive, and it wasn't the kind of place you just went to hang out. After all, _things needed to happen!_ Everything must be working and correct in order to reach your destination. Heaven _forbid_ it take you more than 10 minutes!

Nevertheless, since Ren had lost his reason to further ignore the existence of Yoh's twin Hao(Horokeu), which he had done ever since he'd moved to Japan, Ren found himself ironically sitting in a train station. His life had stopped, yet he watched other's fly by, they themselves unaware of the magic of the train, chauffeuring their ignorant minds to and fro, altering their personalities to fit that of a train: one-tracked and destination-minded, only stopped every-so-often to pick up fuel or to catch-up on the latest pop-culture news about L'Arcenciel's newest tour, or BoA's newest single.

Ren looked wryly around the station. How hard could it be to find your mirror image? Actually, Ren had never _seen_ Hao… or heard much about him. He lived out-of-country, and was currently residing in North Korea according to Yoh. After all, the Asakura family was a divided one: not, however, as dysfunctionally divided as that of the Tao's. But, being that Hao was Yoh's identical twin, this he knew, they couldn't look _too_ different, and he supposed that Yoh should have found him by now.

Yoh looked down at his Chinese friend, glancing once more around the train station. He elbowed the slender boy, pointing towards the E train, and whispered, "That's Nii-san."

Ren's eyes followed Yoh's outstretched fingers, stopping short on a boy who indeed looked _similar_ to Yoh; however, seemed so very _different._ For one thing, Hao's hair was a deal longer than Yoh's. His wardrobe consisted of black pants with a black belt, and a black V-neck t-shirt with a mesh netted t-shirt underneath, poking out a few inches more than his t-shirt sleeves. Both were fitted, showing off his actually _muscular_ chest. Muscles were one thing Yoh had almost none of. And Hao… Hao seemed to be identical physically to Yoh in every way, and his inverse psychologically every other. Appearance does say much about a person, and Hao's clothing choices contradicted Yoh's on every level.

Ren looked at Hao. He was certainly attractive, and at the moment he was blinking around the train station, apparently confused by the haphazard passers-by and the loud, low rumbling of the trains coming to a halt mixed with the screech of trains returning to motion. Hao was as unfamiliar with train stations as Ren himself was, an exciting thought. Maybe this Hao would be the _perfect_ friend, possibly even _better _than Horokeu. He was hard pressed to say so, but maybe… maybe Hao was the antidote to a week's worth of sicknesses.

Yoh waved over his aniki, and the longer-haired boy looked over and nodded, walking over with what few belongings he had carried with himself. Up-close, Ren noticed Hao's lip was pierced and his ears were as well. Hao looked at Ren, and their eyes locked for a moment before Yoh quickly said, "I'm going to bring the car to the entrance, you guys meet me there."

Hao nodded at his brother, looking back the Tao before him. Ren was trying to blow off the feeling bubbling beneath him, suppressing his excitement and curiosity. Hao looked Ren up and down. Ren was wearing a pair of blue jeans, not too baggy and not too tight, with a black fitted t-shirt underneath a white polo, the collar up and his black sleeves showing considering they were a few inches longer than the sleeves of his polo. His polo was unbuttoned down to where his pectoral muscles began. He was wearing a hemp necklace, as well, and his ears were gauged. Hao smiled at him, intrigued. Who the hell _was_ he, anyway. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Asakura Hao."

Ren looked up at him. He was smiling, intent on striking up a conversation with him. "Same. Tao Ren."

Hao turned and the two started walking towards the exit. "I thought you looked Chinese, but this is incredible. Are you seriously from _the_ Tao family? Your family is infamous all across Korea, and I'm sure you get a lot of crap from the morons in _Japan._"

Ren smirked. Hao had spat Japan as if it were more of a curse than a home. Perhaps this was why he was always away, and also perhaps why he had chosen _Korea_ of all possible places. "Yes, I'm seriously a Tao. Not that it's a great blessing…" Ren rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you can imagine."

It was so _easy_ to talk to Hao. It was as if they'd known each other already, as if it were more of a reunion than an introduction. Hao snorted. "Hn, I can't begin to imagine. I'm just a small-town boy, I guess. You should know, being so close with Yoh." Hao turned and studied Ren. "I'm surprised you'd hang out with the likes of him."

Ren looked at Hao, slightly taken aback. Was he saying Yoh could do better? Or possibly that Ren himself could do better? Ren rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. Until recently, he really _hadn't_ been so close with Yoh. He'd been closer with _Horokeu_ than with _anyone_ else. But now he'd gone and lost Horo, and now he had to deal with what he could find. Actually, Yoh's interests and Ren's interests were merely bisecting each other at the moment, and secretly Ren daily prayed it wouldn't last much longer. "Yoh's a good friend."

Hao shrugged. "Yoh's a good kid. He studies and goes to bed by eleven. He… seems a little boring for you, is all. You look like an adventurous person." Hao looked down and grinned.

Ren's cheeks flushed involuntarily. Hao was insinuating that he was more experienced than Yoh, most probably in more ways than one. Was he hitting on Ren? Or was he just saying that he was un for an adventure, and that if Ren was the type of person to hang out with Yoh than he obviously wasn't adventurous. Ren looked down as well. "He knows how to have fun. Usually he's with Anna. I used to hang out with a boy named Horokeu... but that went to hell. I've been waiting for a good adventure." Hao looked slowly up at Ren, who was grinning at him. Well, if Hao wanted an adventure, maybe he'd be able to give him one.

Hao laughed. "Oho! So the Tao family offspring thinks he knows more about adventures than _me?_ Well, let's just see if you know what you're getting yourself into." Suddenly, Hao's similarity to Yoh took a slightly colder turn, as he sadistically yet sensually whispered, "I'm not sure you can even _handle_ me."

Ren blushed, averting his attention to look for Yoh's car. What was _that_ all about? Hao's voice had gone from one of identical warmth to his twin's to something Ren couldn't even describe. Yoh definitely never sounded as… _animalistic_ as Hao had, just then. But there was something strangely arousing about it, something that made him want to get to know the older Asakura. It was aggressive… but it was so damn _sexy,_ the kind of sexy he'd _never_ felt around Horokeu, or _anyone_ for that matter.

Yoh's white Ford mustang pulled up to the curb, as he motioned for Hao and Ren to climb in with him.

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Several weeks passed, and Ren and Hao grew closer. The two had become friends, and the strange part was that they were even closer than Ren had imagined they'd be. Slowly, Ren's classmates had forgotten the incident between himself and Horokeu, and even his close friends such as Anna and Manta had returned to talking to him. Things were running as smoothly as ever, and to top it all off, he had Hao now!

However, with Hao's apparent closeness, Ren found himself missing Horokeu slightly more than normal. Hao was a great person, and he too was amazingly attractive and funny… but it really wasn't the same. Ren wished he'd been able to gel things over with Horokeu first, he wished he'd been able to work things out, but he'd never been given the chance and he feared he never would.

It was a Thursday afternoon and Ren was sitting on Yoh and Hao's couch, watching some show that Yoh had chosen, when Yoh had hopped off and ran into the kitchen for a glass of water. Hao turned and looked at Ren, who was sitting beside him, asking quietly, "Ren-sama, what do you think of me?"

Ren turned and looked at him. "You're my friend, ne?"

Hao looked at him. "Well, I'm not stupid, Ren. I know we're friends. But…" He trailed off, locking his eyes on Ren's. "What do you _think_ of me? How do I make you _feel_?"

Ren sat, dumbfounded. Why the hell did Hao even care what he thought of him? They were friends, one could even venture to say best friends, and that was that, right? Was Hao seriously having second-thoughts at _this_ stage in the game? "Hao-sama, what are you thinking?"

Hao cupped Ren's chin in one of his hands, sending shivers up and down Ren's spine. "I'm thinking…" he trailed off, running the fingers of his other hand through Ren's hair. "I'm thinking you're _amazingly_ attractive, and I can't believe how long I've kept my hands off of you…" Hao leaned in slowly, pressing his lips against Ren's, and kissing him softly. "I'm thinking I want to know if you feel the same, " he said, after breaking their brief kiss.

Ren sat dumbfounded. He'd always _known,_ after all, Hao was a flirter. He'd flirted with Ren at the train station when they'd met, hadn't he? And he apparently had meant it, no joke. Yet somehow, the Tao boy could not grasp the situation properly: Asakura Hao had kissed _him_ and wanted _him_, not anyone else. After all the heartache he'd gone through with Horokeu, someone actually _wanted him._ It felt different then he'd imagined, after all, he'd always pictured Horo sitting next to him. Yet, for some reason, he didn't want to wait to distinguish his exact feelings. If he waited, he might lose Hao. Waiting was not an option. Ren blushed and looked down at his lap, smiling to himself. "In that case, I'm thinking we're on the same page here."

Hao grinned as his mirror-image entered the room with his water in one hand, his cell phone in his other hand. "Anna-chan wants to know if we'd like to go to a carnival tonight. She says you two can come, as well." He looked up at them, and upon seeing Ren's flustered smiling face and Hao's grin, Yoh raised an eyebrow. "Am I interrupting?"

Hao shook his head. "No. We're fine."

Yoh looked from his twin to his friend. They'd spent _so much_ time together lately, and he was happy for Ren. He finally seemed happy. On the other hand, he'd definitely noticed that Hao was sexually attracted to Ren, and Hao himself had admitted that, and he hoped and prayed Ren wouldn't end up hurt. He couldn't stand to lose Horokeu and then have something happen as a result of Hao's pushy and sexual tendencies. Hao always had relationship problems, it was a part of his nature. And although they were close as twins, he found himself hoping that Ren and Hao weren't as involved as Hao would like them to be.

Yoh sighed. Ren didn't need to agony of another heartbreak. Yoh doubted Ren would be able to get around it, however, he was doing nothing to avoid it. Faking a smile, Yoh replied, "That's good. I got worried for a moment."

Hao noticed Yoh's fake smile. He was so over-protective. Why was he so unwilling to let Ren and him be together? Sure, he'd had trouble keeping boyfriends, and he'd had too many to count, and he'd usually dump them or they'd come to an agreement… but Ren, Ren was so _different._ He saw things the way Hao did; he was intelligent _and_ attractive, a hard combination to beat… and now he was attracted to Hao as well.

Hao smirked. Yoh could do nothing. He _would_ be with Ren, at _all _costs. He was fully aware of the threat of Horokeu, whoever that was, and he promised himself then and there that Horokeu _would_ be dealt with, and he, Asakura Hao, would replace the part of Ren's heart that was consumed with guilt and love for Horo with love for he himself. Hao smirked deeper, looked over at Ren, and initiated conversation.

He'd never let Ren get away. _Never._

X – x – x – x – x – X

Wow, that was a crazy long chapter. But it was so good! Hoo-ray for Hao and his sexy domineering personality! Horokeu will dominate the next chapter, I promise. Sorry for the lack-of, but I needed to get some HaoRen in there for this whole thing to make sense. I promise next chapter will be **ice-y**… get it… get it! Heh. So I'm not funny… least I got drama and angst down. Please tune in next time and if it don't trouble you, review! **Dengon Mitsukai.**


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